Electric connector



Feb. 28, 1959 s. N. BUCHANAN 2,499,297

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed July 2, 1948 INVENTOR.

SIT/'PHEN N. BUCHANAN ATTORNEK Patented Feb. 28, 1950 ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Stephen N. Buchanan, Westmoreland Hills, Md.,

assigner to Buchanan Electrical Products Corporation, Elizabeth, N. J., a. corporation of New Jersey Application July 2, 1948, Serial No. 36,567 2 Claims. (C1. 173-328)A This invention relates to detachable connectors for interconnecting electrical conductors, particularly for use in automotive wiring.

In automotive wiring it is advantageous to divide the wiring harness into two or more parts that may be located in different parts of the car during the assembly operation. Subsequently it is necessary to interconnect these harnesses `at least in part. It is important that at these points of interconnection a good `electrical connection is made 4that will withstand vibration and any mechanical strain to which it may be subjected.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved detachable connector which will insure a good electrical connection and will withstand vibration and mechanical strain.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the description and drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view showing my improved connector with one conductor connected to it and another conductor in position to be connected thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the connector without the insulating sleeve;

Fig. 3 ls a side view of the connector without the insulating sleeve;

Fig. 4 is a side view partly in section of the connector and insulating sleeve with a conductor connected at one end; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows my improved detachable connector consisting o1 a connector or receptacle element I0 shown in dotted lines and an insulating sleeve I2. Two electrical conductors I4 and I6 are provided with plugs I 8 and 20 respectively connected at their ends. 4The two conductors I4 and I6 are connected together by the insertion of the plugs I8 and 20 into opposite ends of connector or receptacle Ill.v Insulating sleeve I2 serves not only to insulate the connector I0 but also the portions of plugs I8 and 20 which extend beyond the ends of connector I0.

As may be better seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, connector element I 0 is a double ended cylindrical 'receptacle with a central annular groove 22. An opening 24 is provided in groove 22 for a purpose that will be pointed out hereinafter. Three pairs of resilient ngers 26, 28, and 30 and 32, 34 and 36 are provided at each end of connector I 0. The central or intermediate pairs of fingers 28 and 34 of each group 28 and 34 are provided with detents 38 and 40 regroove in a plug inserted in connector I0, such as groove 42 in plug I 8 as shown in Fig. 4. Detents 38 and 40 have a smaller angle with respect to the axis of connector I0 at their forward ends than at their other ends. Plug I8, as shown in Fig. 4, has a cylindrical barrel portion 44, a reduced end 46 that is compressed y or crimped into intimate engagement with the bared end of conductor I4, and a shoulder 48. When plug I8 is inserted in connector I Il, the barrel portion 44 engages and expands lingers 26, 28, and 30. As plug I8 reaches its fully home position the detents 38 of lingers 20 extend into groove 42. Due to the smaller angle on the forward ends of detents 38, it requires less force to expand fingers 28 upon the insertion of plug I8` than upon its removal against the larger angle on the other ends of detents 38.

It is to be noted that the fingers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 are separated by transverse slots and longitudinal slots as will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The slots separating the inner ngers 30 and 36 and the intermediate ngers 28 and 34 are of less extent than the slot separating the intermediate ngers 28 v and 34 and outer fingers 26 and 32. -The purpose of this structure is to provide greater ilexibility for the outer lingers 26 and 32 and to ren- Yder the inner fingers 30 and 36 relatively more rigid. This results in allowing the insertion of Vthe plug 20 without encountering severe resiststructure is particularly advantageous over one in which all of fingers have the same degree of flexibility in that the assembly. of the plug therewith is materially facilitated. In addition to facilitating such assembly this structure also insures that the plug 30 will be firmly retained in position in the Connector I0 in order to provide a firm mechanical connection as well as a low resistance electrical connector.

Insulating sleeve I2 is formed of a relatively rigid plastic material such as one of the vinyls or distant from the ends of sleeve I2. By the apspectively which extend inwardly to engage a M plication of heat and pressure an inwardly extending annular ring 5I] conforming to and in close engagement with groove 22 oi' connector Il is formed at the center of sleeve I2. In the forming of ring 50 a portion 82 thereof is pro- Jected into the opening 24 of groove 22. The ring 50 in engagement with groove 22 prevents axial movement and vtheportion I2 projecting into opening 24 prevents rotary movement between connector I Il and sleeve I2. 'Ihe end portions of sleeve I2 extending beyond the ends oi connector III serve as guides for the insertion of plugs Il and 2l into engagement with connector Il, but even more important, they cooperate with shoulders I8 and I9 of plugs I8 and 20, respectively, to prevent the plugs from being removed at an angle to the axis of connector I which might cause one or more of the pairs` oi.' ngers to be expanded beyond the elastic limit and produce permanent deformation which would reduce the holding force and electrical contact between the connector and a plug subsequently in- What is claimed:

1. An electrical connector of the character described including a double ended cylindrical receptacle having a central annular groove with a small radial opening, two groups of three pairs of lingers adapted to receive and resiliently engage a plug inserted from each end of the connector, the central pair of fingers of each group having inwardly extending detents to engage and hold a plug inv the connector, said lingers being separated by transverse slots, the slots separatlng the inner pairs of lingers and the central iingers being of less extent than the slot separating the outer pairs of fingers and the central lingers whereby the outer pairs of fingers are relatively more ilexible than the inner pairs of lingers, and a relatively rigid insulating sleeve for said receptacle having an inwardly extending annular ring portion engaging said groove and having a portion extending into said radial opening to lock said sleeve against axial and rotary movement with respect to said receptacle and having a portion extending beyond the receptacle to guide the plug into engagement with the receptacle and prevent removal thereof at an angle to the axis of the connector whereby excessive radial mov'ement and permanent deformation of said lingers will be prevented.

2. An electrical connector of the character described including a double ended cylindrical receptacle having a central annular groove with a small radial opening, two groups of three pairs of lingers adapted to receive and resiliently engage a plug inserted from each end of the connector, the central pair of fingers of each group having inwardly extending detents to engage and hold a plug in the connector, said detents having a smaller angle at their forward ends than at their other ends whereby the force required to remove the plug is greater than the force necessary to insert it in the connector, said pairs of ngers being separated by transverse slots. the slots separating the inner pairs of iingers and the central pairs of lingers being of less extent than the slots separating the outer pairs of iingers and the central pairs of fingers whereby said outer pairs of lingers are relatively more flexible than said inner pairs of fingers and a relatively rigid insulating sleeve for said receptacle having an inwardly extending annular ring portion engaging said groove and having a portion extending into said radial opening to lock said sleeve against axial and rotary movement with respect to said receptacle and having a portion extending beyond said receptacle to guide a plug into engagement with the receptacle and prevent removal thereof at an angle to the axis of the connector whereby excessive radial movement and permanent deformation of said fingers will be prevented.

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,033,643 Neill Mar. 10, 1938 2,288,918 Parker July 7, 1942 2,291,434 Hollopeter et al. July 28, 1942 2,299,787 Beal Oct. 27, 1942 2,318,647 White May 11, 1943 2,318,649 Penfold May 1l, 1943 2,318,651 Penfold May 1l, 1943 2,444,997 Lovesey July 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 216,786 Switzerland Jan. 12, 1940 

